AccessGuard vs WAVE for agency audits
WAVE is an excellent free tool for checking one page in your browser. AccessGuard is for auditing many client sites and sending each client a report.
Which one fits
Use WAVE while you build and review a page. Use AccessGuard when you audit client sites repeatedly and need a report you can send.
- Choose WAVE if
- You check pages one at a time while you develop.
- You want visual icons on the page itself to learn where problems sit.
- You don't need saved results, history or client reports.
- Choose AccessGuard if
- You audit several client sites and want them in one list.
- You send clients a PDF report under your agency's name.
- You want a suggested code fix for each finding.
Side by side
| What you need | AccessGuard | WAVE |
|---|---|---|
| Automated WCAG checks on a rendered page AccessGuard runs axe-core plus its own WCAG 2.2 checks | Yes | Yes |
| Visual icons on the page in your browser | No | Yes |
| Saved results and scan history | Yes | No |
| Every client site in one list | Yes | No |
| PDF report under your agency's name | Yes | No |
| Suggested code fix per finding AI fixes on paid plans | Yes | No |
| Scheduled monitoring AccessGuard rescans monthly on the free plan and up to daily on paid plans; WebAIM's partner Pope Tech offers WAVE-based monitoring | Yes | No |
| Free to use AccessGuard: free audit of any page and a free plan of 1 site and 10 pages | Partly | Yes |
Where WAVE is better
- Free and instant
- The WAVE browser extension and online checker are free and need no account.
- Shows issues in context
- Icons appear right next to the elements they describe, which makes WAVE a good way to learn and review.
- Made by WebAIM
- WAVE comes from WebAIM at Utah State University, a long-standing and trusted accessibility organisation.
Pricing
Prices change. Check each vendor's page before you decide.
- AccessGuard
- Free audit of any page without an account, and a free plan of 1 site and 10 pages when you sign up. Plans from €14.99 a month. See pricing
- WAVE
- The WAVE browser extension and online checker are free. The WAVE API is paid per credit, with a $10 minimum purchase, as listed on 13 September 2026. Source (WAVE pricing, opens in new tab)
Questions
Can I use WAVE and AccessGuard together?
Yes. Many teams check pages in WAVE while they build and use AccessGuard to audit client sites and send reports.
Do WAVE and AccessGuard find the same issues?
They overlap but use different rules. Both find common failures such as missing alt text and low contrast. Neither can test everything automatically, so both need manual checks for criteria like keyboard traps.
Why pay for AccessGuard when WAVE is free?
WAVE is built for checking a page. AccessGuard adds what agency work needs around the check, such as saved history, a client site list, reports under your name and suggested fixes.
Related
- AccessGuard vs axe DevTools
Use axe in your development workflow and tests. Use AccessGuard to audit live client sites and hand clients a report.
- AccessGuard vs Siteimprove
Siteimprove suits large organisations that monitor big sites continuously. AccessGuard suits agencies auditing the key pages of many client sites.
- Alt text checker
Paste a page address. See every image on it with its alt text, and which ones need fixing.
- Color contrast checker
Two colors in, the ratio out, and the nearest color that passes WCAG 2.2.
- Headings and landmarks checker
A page's URL in, its heading outline and landmarks out, with what is wrong in them.
Try AccessGuard on a client page
Free, no account needed, results in about a minute.